1970s created baseball millionaires much too soon

Television-induced prosperity of the 1960s continued to escalate swiftly as the nextdecade dawned. But unforeseen developments complicated the economic picture and changed the course of North American sports, both in reality and perception.

The biggest complications were the athletes who had suddenly gained national celebrity status that bordered on adoration. The television cameras captured their feats and performances and viewers coast-to-coast watched in fascination. It followed naturally that as the television pie grew larger, the players began demanding a bigger piece.

As a result, the early 1970s ushered in the litigations, strikes, free agency and of course escalating salaries. Discovering the power of the courtroom and organized labor unions, athletes challenged owners in every way imaginable. Facing what seemed like a never-ending stream of lawsuits and threatened work stoppages, the owners grudgingly gave ground. But it was the collapse of baseball's reserve clause that really opened the vault doors,

With the advent of free agency in 1976, impact players became available and greedy owners could hardly contain themselves. The result was mind-boggling contracts that shot through the ceiling.

Pete Rose, who signed with Cincinnati for $105,000 per year in 1970, was handed an $850,000 contract by the Phillies in 1978. Houston made Nolan Ryan a million-dollar man one year later.

Nothing was sacred, even the journeyman free agents could expect a sizable and lengthy contract, and adding to the spiraling salaries were the renegade leagues that sparked expensive bidding wars with their established competition.

The American Basketball Association refused to die and finally forced a merger with the NBA in 1976, exactly six years after the Atlanta Hawks signed "Pistol'' Pete Maravich, the most prolific scorer in college basketball ever, to - at that time - the richest contract in NBA history. The three-time All-American at LSU, who scored a career-record 3,667 points (44.2 per game), signed a five-year pact believed to be in the $1.5 million range that would be peanuts or pocket money now.

Through all the maneuvering, the spirit of competition still survived. Sports contracts continued to explode through the roof, so did loyalty and dedication. Three and a half decades later, Alex Rodrequiz signed an unbelievable 10-year contract worth $280 million with the Yankees. Before the 2012 season started, the Angels made the same mistake by signing Alex Pujols for 10 years for not much less.

Then in December 2013, Robinson Cano signed a 10-year deal with the Seattle Mariners worth $240 million. Cano is certainly a very good player, but h not worth near that amount. No athlete was, is or ever will be.

The ex-Yankees second baseman will make $40,000. every time he goes to the plate. Then even worse than that, within 10 days the Dodgers signed a pitcher for $215 million and the Yankees signed a pitcher from Japan for $155 million, both for seven years. Spending that much money for a pitcher is completely insane. It makes millions of American people, including me, sick.

Baseball is a game not of life or death, but for heart surgeons and rocket scientests, who make considerably less, it is. The two pitchers who signed the ridiculous pacts were Clayton Kershaw and Masahiro Tanaka with the Dodgers and Yankees, respectively.

However, the astronomical expenses to travel to a sporting event and enjoy the pleasures while there with family members and friends, has not seemed to diminish attendance figures (outside of Florida).

I still watch professional sports on TV, of course, but I have not attended a professional baseball, basketball or football game in more than a decade and I do not intend or desire to for the rest of my life.

I have been in the new Yankee Stadium one time to witness Army play Notre Dame on the gridiron four years ago. College football, high school competition and play in the younger levels will always satisfy my sports appetite.

Till next time, be a good sport and stay loose!

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